80 MPH shake and front tire wear

[Team Chepsk8]

Had two front end issues with my 2001 ST since I got the truck 7 years ago. Now has 170,000 miles on it. Has the 16" Aluminum rims. No matter the tires or rotating them, it does two things:

1) Shakes at 80 MPH
2) wears insides of the front tires. More aggressive wear with a more aggressive trad pattern.

Like many else here, 2 alignments, front end check, all good.

Ideas?

 

[fitrmech]

Find a new mechanic. You have something bad in the front end. Might be a ball joint or tie rod end. Have the tire balance checked also. Has the truck been wrecked? bent frame?

 

[Pjibs]

I sometimes have similar problems that kinda get corrected a little ever year haha, and my truck has be totaled and we had it fixed cuz the trac saved my dads life, that's another story, and then I had an issue when the steering wheel locked up and I nailed a boulder jacking my right front frame back 4 inches and up 3 inches. Nothing is lined up anymore on my trac and its kinda funny, but it gives it a bit of character.

I would check with another service shop, and what do you mean by the "shakes"? Like engine shake or steering shake?

Just my 2cents

 

[Pickupman_69]

id lean towards a balljoint or tie rod issue myself.

 

[Team Chepsk8]

It has the feeling of a tire out of balance, but has done the same thing with every set of tires I have put on it, and rotating makes no difference. I wondering if it's either a rim issue, or indeed something loose in the suspension.

Like many others, the truck was worked on by two different shops who both gave it a clean bill of health, so that is why I am turning here. never been wrecked, just dented, so that takes out a few possibilities.

A bad OTR makes sense, though when I rotate the tires I always check, and they are solid, no play. What is the theory on the ball joints?

 

[Pickupman_69]

im guessing balljoints only because my wifes silverado was doing the exact same thing, took it for an alignment and the shop said the upper ball joint was out, they showed me and you could move the tire,similar to a bad wheel bearing, I knew it wasnt the bearing because I just replaced it last month.

 

[Team Chepsk8]

Ah HA!!!!

Pulled off the Pass front tire, since that is the side that is wearing worse, and did nindeed find the upper ball joint is very loose, moves over 1/4 inch when leveraged! So, replacement time.

Checked the tie rod end, it's solid.

Question: since rplacing the arm also affects alignment, is there any simple method to make a mark or keep the alignment?

I can see how this will affect front tire wear, but will the looseness in the joint cause the shake too? When reaching a certain speed, will it cause the joint/suspension to oscillate?

Dan

 

[Team Chepsk8]

Just took it apart, the Passenger side has the ball joint/control arm section of a two-piece arm, where the driver's side is a one piece arm. Is this normal?

I did measure the locating points, so I should be able to hold the alignment.

While it's apart, doing front pads too and lubricating everything.

 

[Pickupman_69]

Ah HA!!!!

Pulled off the Pass front tire, since that is the side that is wearing worse, and did nindeed find the upper ball joint is very loose, moves over 1/4 inch when leveraged! So, replacement time.

Checked the tie rod end, it's solid.

Question: since rplacing the arm also affects alignment, is there any simple method to make a mark or keep the alignment?

I can see how this will affect front tire wear, but will the looseness in the joint cause the shake too? When reaching a certain speed, will it cause the joint/suspension to oscillate?

Dan

that was what happened on her truck aswell so im assuming that yes that was what went on as the shake is gone now.

as for the two pieces on one side,Im not sure as I havent looked at mine,but maybe one is oem and the other aftermarket?

 

[OffTrac]

Just took it apart, the Passenger side has the ball joint/control arm section of a two-piece arm, where the driver's side is a one piece arm. Is this normal?

Yes, that is factory.

 

[Axial32]

OEM.. passengerside is a two piece design, and is the more expensive side.. check lower ball joints while you're doing them, I just did both upper and lower on my driverside.. corrected the tire lean. Still has a shake so check passenger, and my lower is shot. FML.. lol

 

[Team Chepsk8]

Good advice, thanks guys!

I did measure each side of the UCA before removing the ball joint arm, and was able to re-install almost exactly. A big help turned out to be the horizontal adjustment bolt, as that set the initial location to within 1/16" of the last location, so just a tap had it back in it's last aligned location.

Only drove it around town last night to make sure it won't fall apart, a highway test today. I can feel an immediate difference, much tighter.